Cart for dialysis machine

ABSTRACT

A cart is provided for use with a kidney dialysis machine. The cart incorporates both a tank for the saline solution and a slidable tray for supporting the pump, filter and other associated equipment and controls therefor. The sliding tray top is mounted for limited sliding movement and in one position is centered on the top of the cart and in an operating position is shifted to one side to expose an opening in the top of the tank mounted below the tray. All operating units and controls are incorporated in the cart along with the tank.

United States Patent MacDonald et al.

[4 1 Feb. 25, 1975 CART FOR DIALYSIS MACHINE [75] Inventors: Francis X.MacDonald, Canton;

Paul M. MacDonald, Scituate, both of Mass.

[73] Assignee: P. X. Industries, Inc., Rockland,

Mass.

[22] Filed: Oct. 9, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 404,349

[52] U.S. C1. 312/250, 312/209 [51] Int. Cl. A47b 91/00, A47b 81/00 [58]Field of Search 312/228, 209, 250, 343, 312/344, 346, 347; 108/137, 143,102

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,315,922 9/1919 Franklin108/143 1,676,810 7/1928 Ulrich 108/102 X 1,827,687 10/1931 McCandless108/143 2,483,920 10/1949 McLean et al 108/43 2,614,017 10/1932 Mugnier312/250 X 2,635,255 4/1953 Holden 312/344 X-' 9/1953 Bissman 312/341 X2,760,207 8/1956 Glinte 312/250 X 2,946,638 7/i960 COl0..... 108/143 X3,032,057 5/1962 Mays 312/209 X 3,054,650 I 9/1962 I Norland 312/209Primary ExaminerPaul R. Gilliam I Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Altman,Morse, Oates &

Bello [57] ABSTRACT A cart is provided for use with a kidney dialysismachine. The cart incorporates both a tank for the saline solution and aslidable tray for supporting the pump,

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures CART FOR DIALYSIS MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION l. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally tomobile medical equipment and more particularly is directed towards a newand improved cart for use with kidney dialysis machines.

2. Description of the Prior Art Artificial kidney nfic lihtes ordialyzers have reached the stage of development where they are now incommon use in the hospital and, to some extent, in the home. Thefunction of the kidney dialysis machine is to duplicate, at least inpart, the functions of a healthy kidney where, because of disease orinjury, the natural kidney is unable to carry out its function;which isone primarily of filtering. Normal kidneys not only perform excretionfunctions but also regulate the salt and water content of the body. Ifthe kidneys fail to function properly other parts of the body areadversely affected and can result in death if not remedied. Theartificial kidney provides rapid correction of blood chemistry andallows the kidneys to rest or to supplant to a substantial extent thefunction of the natural kidney.

The apparatus involved in an artificial kidney is rather elaborateincluding a dializer which contains a membrane and rinsing liquid bywhich the blood is fil-' tered and oxygenated, a pumping system, aheating system and controls and oxygen supply system. I-Ieretofore, theapparatus has been assembled on a number of different tables, carts,portable tanks and the like with the various components being separatelytransferred and then interconnected at the location where the system isto be used. This arrangement has been quite unsatisfactory since itoccupies a large amount of floor space and has involved a number ofseparate mobile parts which must be connected and disconnected aftereach use and movement.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a newand improved cart integrating all of the components into a single mobileunit occupying a small amount of space and one that is easily portablefrom room to room. Another object of this invention is to provide acompact, integrated cart for a dialysis machine that is easy andconvenient to useandquickly' cleaned after each use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention features a compact cart for adialysis machine comprising a frame, preferably. of rectilinearconstruction, rollers mounted to the base of the frame for allowing freemovement of the cart over a floor, a tank mounted within the frameadapted tocontain a dializing medium such as a saline solution for usewith the dialysis machine and a horizontally flat sliding tray mountedto the top of the frame for supporting the top of the tank when the unitis in use and to close over the top of the tank when the unit is notinuse.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG; 1 is a view in perspective of acart for a dialysis machine made according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the tray in an openposition,

FIG. 3 is a detail view in side elevation thereof, and,

FIG. 4 is a detail sectional view showing the slide mechanism for thetray.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to thedrawings the reference charac- The tank 18 preferably is fabricated of arelatively rigid plastic materialand dimensioned to fit snugly withinthe framework. The tank includes a top wall 20 substantially co-planarwith the top frame members 14 and formed with a rectilinear offsetopening 22 providing access to the tank through a removable or hingedcover 23. The tank 18 is also provided with a drain valve 24 at the basethereof allowing the tank to be emptied when desired. The frame isprovided with four casters 26, one at each corner thereof, to allow freemobility of the cart in any direction permitting the cart and itsequipment to be moved from room to room quickly and easily.

On the left-hand end of the cart 12 as viewed in FIG. 1 there is mounteda housing 28 for electronic controls and circuits used in the operationof the dialysis machine. Knobs, dials, switches, etc., are mountedconve-' niently on the upper end of the housing 28.

Mounted to the top of the cart is a sliding .tray 30 adapted to supportcomponents of the dialysis machine such as a pump generally indicated byreference character 32 and a dialysis coil generally indicated byreference character 34.0ther accessory components may also be placed onthe tray 30.

The tray 30 is generally rectangular in outline corresponding with thedimensions of the top of the frame but with a slight overhang along thesides. Preferably, the tray is fabricated of a plywood or pressed woodcore 36 the outer surfaces of which are laminated with a plastic stratum38 such as Formica or the like to provide a strong, rigid support forthe dialysis components and a surface that is easily cleaned.

Extending downwardly from opposite sides of, the

horizontal portion of the tray are two elongated side panels 40 and 42attached to the underside of the core 36 by cementing, fastening, orother means. The panels depend perpendicularly from the under-face ofthe tray and extend substantially the full length thereof. Each of thepanels is provided with a pair of spaced rollers 42 and 44 which may beof metal or a plastic such as nylon and are supported each by a shaft 46extending through the panel with the wheel mounted on the inside endthereof. A spacer 48 is provided between the inner face of the panel andthe wheel and the wheel is retained on the shaft 46 bya cotter pin50passed through a hole V formedtin the end of theshafLThe wheels ride onthe upper frame members 14 which serve as rails and which preferably areof a hollow square cross-section:

and of stainless steel material to provide strength and d'urability.;lnorder to limit transverse m'otion of the tray, a rib 52 may be fastenedto the'i nner face of the panels 40 and %2 oppositely the rails 14providing a slight clearance therewith. Preferably the rib'is of a'plasticmaterial such as nylon which williallow free ion gitudinalmotionof the tray and willislide freely with} respect tothe rail if'incontact with it. lniplace 'ofthe rib 52 severalfplastic headed pins maybe attached in a a line to the inner face of the panel to laterallyposition r *mentihas beencornpletecl, the tray isl returned to its inormalcompact position andthefcart maybe moved to s another locationtThe' tank i e-readily, drained and and allcomponentsare 'conyenientiyaccessiv the tray The rollers 42 and44 are mounted to the side i panelstowards one end thereof with the rollers 42loshown in dottedfline'in thedrawings.

In orderto limit the longitudinal motion of the tray, i 7

stops 54 and 56 are provided on each of the panels140 and 42. The stopstypically are in thegform of L-shaped I legs attached to the lower edgesof the panels and i project inwardly under the rails 14 sons to buttagainst the upright frame members 12 in either extreme posi' tionof thetraynThe stopsare mountedto allow limited I longitudinal movcrnentofthetray with the stop 5 4' locatednear the {extreme left-hand edgeiof thepanel,

5 while thestop 56 is located'more towards the center of thepanel to theright of'the r0ller 44 as viewed in FIG.

3. In this positionthe rollers will be kept on the rails in eitherposition of the tray and the left-handmotion Of' t the tray is limitedto the closedpositionas shown in full line inFlG. 2 while its ri'gh't-hand motion willbelimited by thefstop56 which is sufficient for thetray'to expose;

the tank'opening 22; Ty'picallycthis motion would be on the order of7'ortso.lThe stops 54and56 not only serve tolimit the longitudinalmotionof the tray but also prevent the tray from'being tipped should 'the traybecome unbalanced whe'niopen by reason of the weight a and position ofthe units 32 and 34, Since the stops errtend in under the railsfsuchtipping of the tray is pre- J yentedf 7 The cartprovides a compact andconvenient dialysis 1 station integrated within one mobile unit. Allofthe di a .i w 2,,A cartaccording to claimk'l wherein saidroller'fllyS'lS equipment, including thetank arepn the cartin i 21 very compactunit which is easily rolled about from room to room; When the dialysismachine isto be open ated; the attendant merely rolls th'eltray back andthus,

has direct accessto the tank opening. Once thetreatcleaned ble. Havingthus States is:

comprising rbers, 1c 1 v thereof'adjacento'ne'endthereof;

(dyroller means rn ountedto the bottom of said frame; and supportingsaidcart for free rolling movement, 1

"and

(e) a flat horizontally disposed tray lsubstantially co entensivewwithsaid top frame member and' mounted to said :top member for limitedslidingy' movement relative fthereto', V r

"exposing said tank openingk said top member and said tray includ'es a:plurality of wheels mounted to said trayand engaging said rails, J l

, i 'panels extending longitudinally along each side; i

thereof and supportingsaidwheeis and (i members being spaced apart tolimit the travel of said tray from a closed position fully over saidtopframe rnemher to: aniopen position exposing said i tank opening.

means are castetsq' i ;3. A cart according to claim l' including atleast one, 7 low frictional boss mounted to the inner face of each Ipanel in opposing spaced relation to said'rails.

describedlthe'invention what we claim p and desire to' obtain byLetters; Patent of the United 7 A cartfor use in a mobile kidneydialysis; station (ata frame: including horizontally disposed 'top' a'ndbottom membersofrectangular outlineandivertia;

cal"membersconnectin g.saidtopandbottornmem l V a (b) a waterprooftankigenerall ycorresponding insize L :andshapeto said framemount'edwithin said frame, I

c (c) said tank being'forr'ned with an opening at lhe t i V (f) saidtray being adapted to supportlridney' dialysis) equipment and in onepositionsaid tray covering I said tank opening andflinpanotherpositionjsaid tray (gYsaid top frame mberincluding a pair; of parallelrails, itine fixed'[horizontally along Meachside' of i{h, said trayiincluding a pair ofiparallel dependingj atplnrality of inwardlyextending stop members ,1 mountedto said panel projectingundersaidrails9 and engageahle with said vertical frame members at eitherextremeposition of said tray, said stop

1. A cart for use in a mobile kidney dialysis station, comprising (a) aframe including horizontally disposed top and bottom members ofrectangular outline and vertical members connecting said top and bottommembers, (b) a waterproof tank generally corresponding in size and shapeto said frame mounted within said frame, (c) said tank being formed withan opening at the top thereof adjacent one end thereof, (d) roller meansmounted to the bottom of said frame and supporting said cart for freerolling movement, and (e) a flat horizontally disposed traysubstantially coextensive with said top frame member and mounted to saidtop member for limited sliding movement relative thereto, (f) said traybeing adapted to support kidney dialysis equipment and in one positionsaid tray covering said tank opening and in another position said trayexposing said tank opening, (g) said top frame member including a pairof parallel rails, one fixed horizontally along each side of said topmember and said tray includes a plurality of wheels mounted to said trayand engaging said rails, (h) said tray including a pair of paralleldepending panels extending longitudinally along each side thereof andsupporting said wheels, and, (i) a plurality of inwardly extending stopmembers mounted to said panel projecting under said rails and engageablewith said vertical frame members at either extreme position of saidtray, said stop members being spaced apart to limit the travel of saidtray from a closed position fully over said top frame member to an openposition exposing said tank opening.
 2. A cart according to claim 1wherein said roller means are casters.
 3. A cart according to claim 1including at least one low frictional boss mounted to the inner face ofeach panel in opposing spaced relation to said rails.